Marie-Joseph Bonnat (1844-1881) was an exploror born in Grièges and who died in Tarkwa, Ghana. From a very modest family, he became cook onboard the Joseph-Léon in 1866 under the charge of Charles Girard. When Girard died in the Niger delta Bonnat chose to disembark on the Gold Coast, where he established a business until he was captured by the Ashantis and held prisoner. Bonnat survived the encounter and became the friend of and advisor to the king. He was nevertheless a prisoner for five years, during which he learned the language and the culture of the Aschantis and their neighbours.
He was freed by British forces in 1874, when he returned to France and vainly tried to find a sponsor or partner for his African business. But he left for the Gold Coast again thanks to a British company, and with the support of the Société de Géographie he explored many unmapped towns no European had ventured before.
In 1877 he became the director of a Franco-English mining company and with Edmond Musy successfully exploited gold mines in Ancobra. Returning to France rich in 1880, he married but died the following year as a result of an illness contracted in Africa. He was buried in Pont-de-vaux, although no one seems to have located his grave.
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